Colorblindness

Is Colorblindness the new Racism?

Growing up the color of my skin was never a topic of discussion, I never heard any message from my parents or leaders that lead me to believe that the skin color I had had anything to do with how successful or how well I would do in school.

My color of skin simply meant that I looked darker and way more burnt when exposed to the sun during the summer. Mind you, I looked like the majority where I grew up, but those with “darker” skin or considered “different” were also looked as the unique minority. To me, being different was a luxury. Those with lighter skin color, or darker, were privileged in my eyes. Oh how I wished to be “different,” so much so that I would stay out in the summer a little longer seeking that difference.

After moving to Dallas, Texas, experiencing being different, and forming part of the minority groups, my dream came true… I became the minority. I was easily characterized as an outsider, to the cost of my blindness, I recognized the feeling of non- belonging in a whole new level. I grew up acknowledging differences as beauties and uniqueness, not as a detriment and definitely not as an inferiority factor.

In some ways I grew up colorblind, this colorblindness saw people for who they were, individuals with different characteristics. But, my colorblindness did not mean the same in my new home. While I craved to be unique and set apart, my peers sought exactly the opposite- to fit in. To pass by unnoticed. I didn’t understand, and I am still trying to reconcile with that reaction.

People have asked me now, how to deal with this touchy topic, how to expose kids to it from an accepting and loving way without creating an unhealthy emotion toward diversity?

In previous years, I would have pointed them to a colorblind approach. As I continue to reconcile and internalize what this means in my life, I no longer accept this ideal. Especially now that I have understood that for some people avoiding to see my differences means that they refuse to see the richness that I can bring. That others can bring. It is with a broken heart that I acknowledge that many of my differences are the ones that keep me from crossing bridges of communication, those same differences put me in boxes. And ultimately keep me bonded and attached to whatever descriptions people that do not know me have of those that look like me.

Although I could personally admit that not seeing my differences has been part of my seeing of racism, I also believe there is a wonderful ability to grow as a community and to develop cultural competence in one another by talking about these issues.

My advice for parents and organizations is to find ways to struggle through the colorblindness as much as we seek to destroy biases in our culture. This intentional exercise will create awareness of our own perspectives and an acceptance of others. It will be significant and hurtful at times, but will ignite a different side of the same coin. I don’t have the answers, even as a I am hoping to continue to be challenged in the classroom and in every aspect of my life. Those in authority, we, have the responsibility to share our learning with the next generations and so we must learn now!

We are each other’s keepers, community, and teachers.

May we find the way to acknowledge each other’s struggles and strengths. May we became aware that we are individuals and that we have way more in common than what we truly allow ourselves to admit.

My last reward would be to encourage individuals to engage in their own journey of discovery before addressing anyone else’s. It is important we all meet in the middle. It is crucial we have these struggles and that we acknowledge those before us before we move forward.